British Columbia·Q&AA 28-year-old B.C. ultra-runner is running 300 kilometres from Prince Rupert to Terrace — and back. He’s raising money for the B.C. Cancer Foundation in the process.28-year-old Noah Allison is raising funds for B.C. Cancer FoundationCBC News · Posted: Aug 11, 2025 5:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoNoah Allison, a Tahltan-Tsimshian ultra-runner, is running a marathon a day for a week to raise money for B.C. Cancer Foundation’s patient relief fund in honour of his father, Markus. (Submitted by Noah Allison)A 28-year-old Tahltan-Tsimshian ultra-runner is running a marathon a day — for seven days straight.Noah Allison is running the third annual Miles for Markus campaign in memory of his father Markus, who died of bladder cancer in September 2023.Allison will be running about 300 kilometres this week from Prince Rupert to Terrace and back to raise funds for the B.C. Cancer Foundation’s patient relief fund.With the support of a road crew and fellow runners who will join him on the way, Allison said the community around the event has grown every year.”Everyone I know has been touched by cancer in some way, so I know it’s a really important issue to raise money for,” he said.On his runs, Allison sometimes wears a Terry Fox basketball jersey.”I wear it with my cedar hat. They say it’s my Indigenous Forrest Gump outfit,” Allison said with a laugh. “So I’ll say, hey, I’m Forrest Gump’s Indigenous cousin, Cedar Gump.”Noah Allison is running from Prince Rupert, B.C., to Terrace and back again this August to raise money in honour of his father, Markus. (Submitted by Noah Allison)Allison’s journey started Saturday and will run till Friday.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.How did your running journey start?I started my running journey as a way of supporting my best friend Britt. She started training for the New York Marathon. I wasn’t in love with it until, unfortunately, I was in Prince George with my father and I could see the end was near. It became my daily escape from that dark world. I would be spending most of my time at the hospital and at his bedside and having a lot of tough times.Noah Allison, right, is running 300 kilometres over a week in August 2025 to raise money for B.C. Cancer Foundation’s patient relief fund in honour of his father, Markus, who died of bladder cancer in September 2023. (Submitted by Noah Allison)I found that during my run, that was when I was having positive thoughts and actually dreaming of what I wanted to do in the future, rather than just thinking about how awful this time was.What was the first fundraiser like?As my father’s health started to decline, I decided to go all in. I decided to run to Terrace from Prince Rupert. It’s 144 kilometers away. I decided that was achievable, but also just crazy enough that I knew it would garner the reaction of: ‘Like, what!? You’re running to Terrace?’ Because Rupertites drive to Terrace all the time, and it’s an hour-and-a-half drive to get there. I knew it would have that crazy reaction that would help with fundraising. And I also knew that I could do it.The first two times you ran from Prince Rupert to Terrace. Now you’re running to Terrace and back. Why the decision to double the journey?I’ve always loved to push the boundaries, and it’s something that’s inspired a lot of people. It’s inspired me. And I’ve learned as I’ve grown through my running journey that if I haven’t found my boundary yet, and if I thought that was impossible and I did it, then I need to ask what could the next step be?LISTEN | Noah Allison speaks about the “Miles for Markus” campaign: North by NorthwestUltra-runner Noah Allison on Miles for Markus fundraiserIndigenous ultra-runner Noah Allison tells us about his plans to run from Prince Rupert to Terrace and back, as part of the third annual Miles for Markus fundraising event.When I first started running, I thought a half-marathon was crazy and then a marathon was crazy. And I’ve now done a couple 50Ks, my longest being 52 kilometres, and I’ve kept moving forward still. I made it last year, and I was honestly feeling pretty good. So I decided, hey, why not? Why not try to go for it?What do you hope that people take away from your story, especially those that may be going through grief or caring for someone with an illness like cancer?Find something to be passionate about, as tough as it is. To keep moving forward. In life and in my long runs, I find inspiration from others and from the thought of Markus’s strength and how far I’ve gotten with cancer fundraising. Those types of things have kept me going through the tough times.What do you think your dad would think now that you’re continuing on this journey?I couldn’t imagine what he would think about this. The promotion side of things has been crazy. The community has grown at each and every event — the number of people that have reached out to me, my mom, and just everyone involved.It’s just been a whirlwind and I just couldn’t imagine what he would have thought, because he was moved to tears daily just when he was out there the first year, and it’s only gotten bigger since.Markus Allison, father of ultra-runner Noah Allison, was a lifelong musician. He died of bladder cancer in September 2023. Now his son runs in his honour. (Submitted by Noah Allison)What was your father’s relationship to music?My father was a lifelong musician. Whenever you saw him throughout his life, he had his guitar with him. When he got diagnosed with cancer, he unfortunately had his leg amputated, which came with a lot of phantom pains. I remember so vividly the one day he said the only time that he’s 100 per cent pain free is when he’s playing music. … After his amputation, he wrote his song “One Good Leg.” It was a personal song that he wrote himself, and he recorded it himself, did all the instruments, did everything. Then I helped him put it on Spotify and all platforms in the last week of his life.Do you think your dad will be with you in spirit as you take on this next leg?I can feel Markus with me in spirit every time I put on my running shoes, and I know for a fact he’ll be out there every day.With files from Lauren Vanderdeen, Daybreak North and North By Northwest
This First Nations ultra-runner is running a marathon a day for seven days in memory of his father
